Single Window Service Delivery

Citizens want government services that are easy to access, convenient, and seamless. One strategy that has becomes increasingly popular is single-window service delivery. In essence, single-window service delivery brings government services and information together in a way that makes it easy for citizens to find and access public services quickly and efficiently. Single-window service delivery improves accessibility by offering a single gateway to government, improves convenience by providing a one-stop shop for all services, and breaks down barriers by linking services in a seamless manner.

Simple in concept, research shows that single-window initiatives have taken a variety of forms across Canada and around the world. There is a lot of research and experience from which to learn. This site brings together a vast amount of this information to help public-sector managers interested in starting or enhancing a single-window initiative in their jurisdiction.

What is a portal?
One of the hottest trends in making government websites citizen-centred is to make them "portals." But what is a portal? How is it different from what public-sector organizations are already offering online? This article from the Government of Ontario's E-government Watch sheds some light on the subject.

Conference Presentations

In May 2001, the Public Sector Service Delivery Council hosted a learning event on single-window initiatives. The following are the materials from that conference.

Reports

Review of International One-Stop Access Initiatives (2000) (Microsoft Word format) (350K)
Service Canada Implementation Team, prepared by Jennifer Berardi

Citizens' Need for Single-Window Service: A Summary of Canadian Data (2001) (Microsoft Word format) (43K)
Prepared by Conference Organizers

Presentations

Introductory Address

Improving Service Through Single-Window Delivery (4,829K)
Ralph Heintzman, Assistant Secretary
Service and Innovation, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Organizational Models

Managing a "Virtual" Single-Window Organization (1,584K)
Roger Scott-Douglas, Director
Service Canada, Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Governance Framework for Integrated Service Delivery: Service Department Model (937K)
Paavo Kivisto, Assistance Deputy Minister
Consumer and Business Services, Government of Ontario

Meeting Citizens' Needs

Government of Canada On-Line: Towards an Electronic Single Window (261K)
Michelle d'Auray, Chief Information Officer
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

Improving Government Service Delivery Through Single-Window Service Initiatives: Evolution of the "In-Person" Channel in British Columbia (7,542K)
Ardath Paxton Mann, Assistant Deputy Minister
Ministry of Small Business, Tourism, and Culture, Government of British Columbia

Telephone Channel: Ask U.S. (246 K)
Warren Snaider, Director (National contact Center)
U.S. Federal Consumer Information Center

Lunch Speaker

Public Counter 2000: The Dutch Approach to Integrated Service Delivery (2,610K)
Matt Poelmans, Program Manager
OL 2000, International Council for Information Technology in Government Administration

Meeting Business Needs

Canada Business Service Centres: The Challenge of Single-Window Service Delivery - Meeting Business Needs (3,093K)
Robert S. Smith, Executive Director
Canada Business Service Centres, Industry Canada

Meeting Business Needs: Ontario Business Connects (232K)
Debbie Farr, Director
Ontario Business Connects

Challenges in Developing a G-to-B Portal (714K)
Panneer Selvan, Head (Managing for Excellence)
Ministry of Finance, Government of Singapore

Closing Comments

Improving Government Service Delivery through Single-Window Initiatives (Microsoft Word format) (34K)
Professor Sandford Borins
University of Toronto